


Coming Out Party, The

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Alternate Universe, Drama, F/M, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-07-10
Updated: 2005-07-10
Packaged: 2019-05-31 07:41:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15114821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: "Thanks mom, I think we've handled everything nicely."





	Coming Out Party, The

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**The Coming Out Party**

**by: Montiese**

**Character(s):** Leo, CJ, Tim, and Charlie  
**Pairing(s):** CJ/Leo  
**Category(s):** AU, Drama, Humor  
**Rating:** TEEN  
**Summary:** "Thanks mom, I think we've handled everything nicely."  


The phone rang as CJ and Leo sat on the couch reading. It was snowing in Manhattan, six days from Christmas. Tim had just come home from completing his first semester at Brown University, where he transferred after a successful year at Fordham. Charlie was still living at home, a theatre major at NYU. She already had some small theatre roles under her belt and was looking for auditions over the winter break. 

Leo looked up from the biography of his life as his wife answered the phone. Her lap shifted, and so did his head, which was resting there. 

"Hello." 

"Mom, its Tim." 

"OK. Hey." 

"Is dad there?" 

"Mmm hmm." 

"OK, I need you to come upstairs and don't tell dad why." He said. 

"What the…" 

"Please mom." 

"OK sweetie, I'll be right up." 

She hung up the phone. Leo tilted his head to look at her. 

"What was that about babe?" he asked. 

"Huh? Oh, Charlie wants me to come upstairs for a moment." 

"She had to call you. Sometimes that kid…" 

"Stop being ornery and read your book. Where are you in your life?" CJ asked. 

"I just sent your ex-lover from Concord to California to retrieve you." 

"How can you read a story about yourself Leo? There isn't going to be a surprise ending." 

"In every biography something is different. This one is a bit better written and certainly more accurate." 

"You should write the damn autobiography and let us represent you. I see a national book tour." 

CJ and Nora had a successful PR firm, Madison Cregg. It was going on its fifth year in business and they were representing some of the world's finest writers, producers, and actors. They were even representing other PR firms. 

"I see a 76 year old man who wants to stay right where he is." He replied. 

"Well, lift your head…I have to go upstairs." 

He did, CJ kissed his face, and made sure he was engrossed in his book before going into Tim's room. Her son looked at her and CJ once again noticed how his face had become unreadable just this past year. She stood against the closed door. 

"What's going on hon? The cryptic phone call made…" 

"Mom, I'm gay." 

"Huh?" 

"I'm gay mom, and I can't keep it in anymore because it is not fair to you and it is certainly not fair to me." 

CJ swallowed hard and tried to steady herself. Finding it impossible, she sunk into the leather computer chair resting by Tim's bed. She looked at him. 

"How long have you known?" she asked. 

"Since high school. Maybe three years…four years." 

They were quiet for a while and CJ flashbacked to that smart little boy with the reddish brown hair and big hazel eyes. The boy who always had his face in a book and the logical answer for every question his father asked him. The boy who was a strong contrast to his high-strung sister. CJ opened her mouth a few times to speak but had nothing to say. She took a deep breath. 

"Mom, please say something." 

"Please don't tell me that everyone knows but me." She said. 

"Only Chuck." Tim replied. "And some trusted friends here and in Providence." 

Chuck was Tim's nickname for his little sister. If anyone else called her that, she was looking for a fight. When he did it, she just smiled. 

"When did you tell your sister?" 

"As soon as I knew for sure. I had to confide in someone." 

"What did she say?" 

"What do you think? The little goofus said she knew it all along." 

CJ smiled. Then she took another deep breath. 

"OK." 

"OK?" Tim asked. 

"Well sweetheart, what do you want? I loved you five minutes ago and it will never change…never ever. Is there someone special Tim; is that why you transferred to Brown?" 

"I transferred so I could have a better chance of getting into Yale Law. I don't know about the special thing…can we talk about that some other time? Oh, and don't tell dad. I don't think he can handle it." 

"Timothy Samuel McGarry, you cannot expect me to go downstairs, look at your father's face, and lie. I won't lie to him." 

"I'm not saying that, but I don't think that my sexual orientation will come up in dinner conversation." 

"I won't be party to a lie wherever your father is concerned, understand?" 

"Mom…" 

"No. You are a grownup now, and you have to do some things you may not want to. Your father deserves to know every facet of you. He loves you with all his heart. You have 48 hours to tell him or I will. Remember the last time I had to tell him something that should have come from you?" 

Tim cringed just thinking about it. He didn't have the heart to tell his father that he was not going to attend his alma mater. When CJ finally did, Leo was so disappointed. Not with the decision but with Tim for not thinking he could handle it. It was just a school, he said, his son's happiness was more important. He sighed, running his fingers through his thick hair. 

"OK. I'll talk to him soon. Mom, what if…?" 

"Don't." CJ replied. "I won't pretend to know how he will react to this, but he loves you so much." 

"He loves me as perfect, heterosexual Tim mom. I am supposed to carry on the McGarry name." he said. "What kind of son am I if I can't do the one thing he needs after all he's done for me?" 

"You can still do that. Come here, give me a hug." 

Tim wrapped his arms around his mother. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, as his father always did…committing her scent to memory. CJ pulled away and smiled. 

"You need a haircut hon." She said. 

Tim laughed, and CJ knew it was real. She had not heard that laugh in months. At Thanksgiving, he was so withdrawn and subdued, blaming it on worrying about finals. The Sunday before he left for school, he and his father sat in the study talking for hours. Obviously, Tim never told his father what truly weighed on his soul. CJ pulled him close to her again. 

"I love you Tim." she kissed his lips. 

"I love you too." 

Charlie poked her head in the door. 

"Is the coast clear?" she asked. 

"Get in here." CJ pulled her daughter into a hug. Charlie smiled. 

"You told her?" Charlie asked. 

"He told me…and I am still standing." 

"Cool. Sam Seaborn was his first crush." 

"Shut up." Tim punched her arm. 

Charlie laughed and CJ just looked at them. Who told her kids they could grow so fast? 

"Sam is one of the sweetest men I know." CJ replied. 

"And gorgeous." Tim and Charlie said in unison. 

They looked at each other, bursting into laughter. CJ smirked. 

"I'm going back downstairs. Dinner in 90 minutes OK?" 

They nodded and CJ went back to the living room. Leo was now napping on the couch. The book was across his lap and his glasses still rested on the bridge of his nose. CJ took the glasses off his face and put them on the coffee table. How was he going to react to this? He was Leo's only son, a son that he never thought he would have. He was a source of pride, joy, and amazement. She didn't want anything to shatter that for either of them. CJ needed a drink and some advice. It was time for Cabernet and Nora. 

\------------------------------------------------------------- 

By Sunday afternoon, Leo couldn't take it another moment. Something was going on in his house and he wanted to know what it was. 

"Timothy, Charlotte, get down here now!" 

CJ came from the kitchen, Winston Churchill padding behind her. He was Winston Churchill II and had been with the McGarrys less than a year. 

"Leo, what's the matter honey?" she asked. 

"What's going on dad?" 

The kids came down the stairs and looked at their parents. CJ stole a look at Tim and he seemed unfazed. She hated it but he had all of Leo's facial expressions too. 

"Something is happening in this house and one of you is going to tell me what the hell it is." 

"Leo?" 

He held up his hand. 

"No Claudia Jean, don't try to tell me that I am paranoid. I will not calm down. I know when I am being kept out of something. Tim, Charlie, do you have something to say?" 

"Not really?" Charlie replied. 

"Young lady now is not the time for you to be a smartass." 

"Cut it out Charlie." CJ said. 

She nodded, sitting on the arm of the couch. Leo looked at his family. 

"Someone tell me what is going on. Tim and Charlie have been speaking in hushed tones, and Nora was here yesterday and you were not talking at all about PR. Why am I being left out? Is Charlie pregnant?" 

She looked at her father with wide blue eyes. So did CJ. 

"My God Leo. No." his wife said. 

"Daddy, I'm a virgin." Charlie said in an incredulous tone. 

Leo turned and looked at her. 

"What? You are? Oh thank God." 

Leo sat on the couch and took a deep breath. 

"I guess your joy over Charlie being a virgin will help cushion the blow of my being gay." Tim said. 

CJ looked at him. 

"Excuse me?" Leo looked at his son. 

"Charlie is a virgin and I'm gay dad." 

"Oh my God." 

Leo put his hand over his heart and CJ sat beside him on the couch. 

"Honey, are you alright?" she asked. 

"Dad, please don't have a heart attack." Tim said quietly. 

"I am not having a damn heart attack. Please, someone get me a glass of water." 

Charlie went to the kitchen as Leo looked at his wife. 

"You knew about this CJ? You knew about this and you didn't tell me!" 

"I did not…Leo, I thought…" 

"Claudia Jean!" 

"Stop it dad; mom didn't know." Tim replied. 

Charlie was back with the water. 

"I told her the other night and she said I had 48 hours to tell you. I didn't know how to tell you." 

"You're gay." Leo said it aloud for the first time, and it felt real. 

"Yeah." 

"You're gay." 

"Yeah dad." 

"You're…" 

"Dammit Leo, don't say it again!" CJ exclaimed, standing up from the couch. 

"Tim is gay. He is not going to marry and he is afraid you won't love him anymore because he cannot carry on the damn family name." 

"What?" Leo looked at his son. "What is this Tim?" 

"Thanks mom. I think we've handled everything nicely." Tim replied. 

"You would think that about me?" 

"I don't know dad." Tim looked at his sneakers. 

"Come here, sit beside me." He looked at his wife and daughter. "I want to talk to Tim alone please." 

"No fair. He always got to be in the room when I got the tongue lashing." Charlie replied. 

"Charlie, if I get up from this couch you are going to wish that you weren't so damned hardheaded." Leo said. 

"Yeah, OK daddy. I'm going to the kitchen." 

CJ and Charlie went into the kitchen. Tim fidgeted as he sat next to his father. 

"Talk to me Timothy. We talked for hours over Thanksgiving break…you call me once a week. Why couldn't you tell me this? Is this why you transferred schools?" 

"I wanted to go to Brown dad." Tim replied, shaking his head. "I tried to tell you so many times, everyday for the past four years. I did not want you to hate me. You know what, that's not true. I did not want you to pretend to love me after you found out." 

"Pretend to love you; Tim are you insane? The first time I held you in the hospital I knew that everything you did in this life would make me proud. Nothing will ever change that." 

"Dad, please tell me the truth." Tim said. 

"The truth is that I wish to God that you were a heterosexual. There, I said it aloud. Nevertheless, you are not and that's the way it is. I am a dope addict alcoholic." 

"Don't say that dad, please." 

"Why? Its true son. I am not perfect and you don't need to aspire to be like me. I have screwed up so many times that I have lost count. Some higher power, close friends, and your mother have kept me from God knows what fate. I am not going to turn my back on my son because he does not fit into a perfect box." 

Tim started to cry and Leo hugged him. He had never been an over affectionate father, it was not in his nature and he hardly knew how. What he did know was Tim and Charlie were his world and he would always make sure that they knew that. 

"Are you practicing safe sex?" Leo asked unexpectedly. 

"Dad! Jesus!" 

"Answer me." He demanded. 

"Yes sir." 

"Never, ever, ever have sex without a condom. Do you understand me?" 

"Yes sir." 

"And don't keep your mother and I in the dark about your life. We want to know the people in your life because we love you." 

"It shouldn't have been this easy dad." Tim said. 

"I am an old man Tim, with rigid beliefs, values, and views. Even if I am a lifelong Democrat. Above all that, I am a father who loves his children. You are a good student and a good son…being gay hasn't changed that." 

"OK." 

"Just one thing." 

"Anything." 

"I need a grandchild. I don't know if I'll make it to see their birth but the McGarry name…I know it sounds old-fashioned." 

Tim shook his head. 

"I promise you that the McGarry name will live on." 

Leo hugged his son again, taking a deep breath. This had not sunk in yet, but Tim would be home a few more weeks. And Charlie was still a virgin. 

"Can we come back now?" Charlie asked from the kitchen. 

"Charlotte, you are fucking incorrigible. Yes, you can come back now." 

The McGarrys sat around the living room. 

"I need a cigarette." Leo said. 

"I don't think so." CJ replied. 

"Oh come on mom. I just came out the closet…give the man a smoke." 

Tim and Charlie both laughed. She gave Leo one from the slim cigarette case she always kept in the back pocket of her jeans. He would wait until later to lecture her on the harmful effects of nicotine to her health. She lit it and Leo took three drags before putting it out. He drank some water. 

"Let's go out tonight. Have a coming out party!" Charlie said. "Let's have dinner and then go ice skating." 

"I'm for dinner." Leo replied. "I am not, however, getting on ice skates with a gun to my head." 

CJ laughed and so did Tim. 

"We'll do dinner." She said. "Then you and Tim can do whatever you do when your father and I aren't around." 

"The illegal stuff?" Charlie asked. "Cool." 

"Charlie." Leo warned. 

"Sorry." 

"I love you guys." Tim said. 

"Me too Tim?" Charlie asked. 

"You too Chuck. I have to go shower." 

"Where are we going?" Leo asked. 

"Elaine's!" Charlie exclaimed. 

"No." CJ said. "You are not doing the seen and be seen routine tonight." 

"What's your favorite place Tim?" Leo asked. 

"I love Home." He said smiling. 

"Home it is. I'll call the car service." 

\---------------------------------------------------------------- 

Leo was in bed still reading the biography of himself while patting the dog. CJ sat at her vanity table removing her make-up and cleaning her skin. 

"This is very Dynasty you know." He said. 

"What's that?" 

"Me reading in bed while you sit at your vanity table." 

CJ laughed. 

"You are no longer allowed to watch Soapnet when you are sick in bed." CJ replied. 

"So noted." 

"How are you really?" she asked. 

"I feel fine." 

"Leo, you know that is not what I am talking about." 

"I don't know baby. I don't want to look at Tim as my gay son…he is just my son. Nothing has changed for me and I am focusing on that. I'm so happy Charlie is a virgin I could burst." 

CJ laughed. 

"I am proud of you Leo McGarry." She said. 

"Thank you. We have two amazing kids, you know that?" 

"I do. They still believe you walk on water too. I'm just mom." 

"You're an amazing mom. While I was off cultivating the walk on water status, you were raising Tim and Charlie. We should count ourselves very lucky." He said. 

"Oh I do. Everyday." 

CJ got in bed, leaning her head on Leo's shoulder. 

"Put that book down and pay attention to me mister." 

Leo smiled, closing the book and gently pushing the dog onto the floor. Winston curled up by the radiator. He knew he could go back when the lovin' was over. 

"I don't have much in me." Leo said, sliding down into the bed and wrapping his arms around his wife. 

"Please. You have always satisfied me Leo and that's the end of the story." 

"I just hate being old baby." He trailed his tongue down her neck. 

"Mmm, it is better than dead. That feels perfect; just keep doing that. We're gonna make love tonight." 

"Sounds like a plan to me Mrs. McGarry." 

There was a knock on the door. 

"Come in." 

Tim opened the door and smiled at his parents. 

"You called it a night early." Leo said. 

"Yeah. I'm meeting friends for last minute Christmas shopping tomorrow. Charlie is still out with DJ and those guys. I just wanted to tell you guys I love you and to say goodnight." 

"We love you too." CJ replied. 

"Goodnight son." 

"Oh, and um, a friend may be coming over to hang out tomorrow." 

"Your friends are always welcome here." Leo replied. 

"OK." He smiled, looking exactly like his father. "Goodnight." 

He closed the door. CJ smiled at Leo. 

"Where were we?" she asked. 

He kissed her, pushing the strap of her nightgown aside to kiss her shoulder. CJ hummed softly. She ran her fingers through his hair. 

"Oh Leo." 

"I love when you say that." 

"I love you." 


End file.
